You can’t accuse South London producer Tom Misch of playing it safe; although he rose to internet prominence by way of offbeat, Dilla-inspired instrumentals that kept his identity pretty hidden behind guest spots, he’s gradually stepped forward, letting his jazzy guitar noodling and eventually his vocals take the front seat. Now, if his lead single is anything to go by, Misch’s upcoming album ‘Geography’ is an attempt to set himself up as an easy-listening James Blake: that single, ‘Movie’, crests on an effortlessly minimal Questlove-type groove, framed by squeaky-clean guitar licks and ebbing piano chords. It’s as sonically manicured as folky neo-soul can possibly get, but Misch disarms your assumptions by keeping things low key: just when you think things are going to go full John Mayer, Misch pulls back, never overplaying his hand. The one-time bedroom producer is now selling out London shows, before his debut album has even dropped: a testament to the charm of his feel-good, go-with-your-gut grooves.

Sun 11 Mar, 7pm at The O2 Institute, 78 Digbeth, Birmingham B5 6DY